A proposal to expand city-style Code Enforcement to rural areas of the county is under consideration by the St. Joseph (IN) County Council.  Details are still being fleshed out, but the main thrust of it is that the Building Department would take on the authority to monitor and fine people in the rural areas of the county for violations of code. -- with the income for the operation to come from the fines they impose!  Extreme versions of the proposed code run on for many pages.  Simpler versions are focused on things like junk cars and yard trash.

             While there are always people who keep their property messier than their neighbors would like, it is our impression that most rural-dwelling county residents have located there because they did NOT want to be subject to such ordinances.  They made a conscientious choice to forgo the benefits of city services and quick access to city resources in favor of freedom from city control and regulation.  They feel that the ordinances that existed when they bought their property should not be changed on them after the fact.

                 What do you think?  The Council members could easily be hearing from only one side on this issue.  It's time they heard from a full spectrum of rural residents.  Discussion of this issue may occur as early as the Council committee meetings Tuesday, May 25. (The public generally cannot speak at committee meetings).  It would be very helpful if the Council members could get your feedback soon.

 

If you care about this issue, could you please do two things right away:

1. Send us some feedback such as YES ( I want County Code), or NO (to any county code), or other response.  We could forward some preliminary data to the committee if we get a significant number of responses.

2. Contact one or more of the County Council members and make your concerns known directly:

 

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY COUNCIL

(Send one e-mail to all nine members:  cocouncil@co.st-joseph.in.us)

                          Mike Hamann                     Corey Noland                     Dale DeVon        

                         2658 Tomahawk Tr.              19024 Glendale Ave.             7415 Toscana Ct.

                          S.B., IN 46628                        S.B., IN 46637                        Granger, IN 46530

                          273-0251                                  273-0603                                 271-0686

                         Rafael Morton                   Michael Kruk                     Dan Herbster      

                          325 N Studebaker                   449 S. Phillipa St.                  60149 Main St.    

                          S.B., IN 46628                         S.B., IN 46619                        S.B., IN 46614

                          232-7190                                  288-7504                                 520-7254

                         Mark Catanzarite             Heath Weaver                    Mark Root

                         2022 Oak Park Dr.                1701 E. Wayne St.                  10737 Chelsea Dr.

                          S.B., IN 46617                         S.B., IN 46615                         Osceola, IN 46561

                          232-9112                                  233-9323                                 674-9125

 

P.S.   There is also some discussion in the wind about a possible County Option Dog Tax!